WonderGlass Launches New Lighting Collections during Milan Design Week 2017

To celebrate the launch of their new collection, London-based lighting company WonderGlass, who specialise in marrying traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design, created a special lighting installation during Milan Design Week at the historical palazzo Istituto dei Ciechi, where the brand launched in 2013.

The new modular chandeliers, Calliope, designed by Marcel Wanders and creative director Gabriele Chiave were inspired by Japanese calligraphy and created out of hand blown Murano glass. The floating, sculptural new collection, gracefully creates spatial and versatile light installations as either clusters or as a single element. “We designed this lighting system to be poetic. From overhead, it captures attention as it inspires the imagination,” said Marcel Wanders. Gabriele Chiave added “Marrying an element of ancient Asian culture with free moving parts has resulted in a product that embodies both classic and contemporary design.”

WonderGlass also presented a new collection of blown glass lighting by New York-based Nao Tamura, titled Fluid. Fluid is inspired by the moment when the sun hits the surface of a lagoon and how this creates a lens effect in water. Tamura was particularly inspired by how this effect captures a ‘spark’ and turning this into a source of light.

In addition to these new pieces, WonderGlass will also showcase Rise & Drift by Hideki Yoshimoto of Tangent design studio. First previewed as part of an installation at Maison et Objet earlier this year, Rise and Drift focuses on the organic shapes of water bubbles and the refraction of light. Yoshimoto challenged the complex way light transmits and reflects inside different materials, resulting in a mesmerising visual effect. Yoshimoto’s work seeks to capture a dynamic moment in time and is reminiscent of air rising through the water, suggesting the possibilities of life below; a presence that we cannot see but are inspired to imagine.

WonderGlass was founded in 2013 by Maurizio e Christian Mussati to join traditional craftsmanship with constantly developing modern designs and collaborations from the worlds of architecture, art and fashion. The aim is to challenge interior space with a new way of showcasing a light source: WonderGlass couples world-class design with personalised couture for the home. The imaginative brand develops and manufactures beautifully crafted lighting sculptures, bespoke installations and chandeliers. WonderGlass is headquartered in London whilst the production remains mainly in Venice area.